This fine beautifully hand coloured original  antique and very important map of the South American country of Chile was published in the 1639 French edition of Mercators Atlas by Jan Jansson and Henricus Hondius.
Background: The map highlights the coastal region of central Chile from Copiapo in the north (near the left-hand margin) as far as a point to the south of the island of Chiloé.
Apart from the relatively large island of Chiloé, it is readily apparent that little was known of the fjord-like nature of the coast or the  offshore islands of the Archipelago de los Chonos.
The modern cities of Santiago (marked as 'S Iago dela Nueva Estremadura'), Valparaíso (marked as a river estuary on Blaeu's map), Conceptión and Valdivia (spelled 'Baldivia' on the map) stand out clearly, the latter three having all been founded during the mid-sixteenth century by the then governor of central Chile, Pedro de Valdivia."  (Ref: Koeman; M&B)

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